System of submarine communication.



No. 738,725. .PATENTED SEPT. e, 190s. s. LAKE.

SYSTEM OFSUBMARINE COMMUNICATION. -APPLmA'rIoN FILED-JUNE za, 1902.

no MODEL.

3 sums-SHEET 1.

PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

s. LAKE.' SYSTEM 0F SUBMARINE GOMMUNIGATION.

APPLICATION FILED UNB 23, 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

N0 MODEL.

No. 738,725. PATENTED SEPT. a, 1903.

s. LMKE. SYSTEM OP SOBMARINB OOMMONIOATION.

APPLIOATION Hmm JUNI: 23, 1902. VNo MODEL. a sums-snm ne. atenas.

Patented September 8, 1963.

d ATENT Fries.

SYSTEM or SUBMARINE COMMUNICATION.,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,725, dated-September `8, 1903.

Application filed June 2s, 1902.

T0 all whom ibm/ty concern: j

Be it known that I, SIMON LAKE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have inventedfa new and useful Improvement in Systems of Submarine Communication, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention has for its primary object to provide a wholly-concealed means of submarine'communication whereby in timeof war the otiicers of a boat on picket duty at or near one station 'may have easy communication with those at another distant station or stations either upon land or water inorder to apprise those at such station or stations'at a distant point of the movements of an enemys ship or tieet sighted by such picket-boat'.

The improvement is designed for use more particularly with submarine boats adapted to descend beneath the surface of the water and to rest and travel uponthe water-bed, as set forth and described in the United States Patent No. 650,758, granted to me May 29, 1,900,

but is well adaptedfor use in connection with merged station disposed remotely from sta.

tionary or permanent objects above the surface of the water, but in known relation to two or more such objects, and av station or stations located at a distance therefrom,either submerged or disposed above the level of the water at'some suitable point or points, and a line of communication intermediate said sta.- tion consisting, preferably,.of a cable composed of one or more electrical conductingwires and means connected with said line or cable at two or more of said stations and adapted for temporary connection with boats at such stations. When the system is employed for signaling between the several stations and an electrical conducting-cable is used to connect the stations, the submerged station or stations are designed to have telegraph instruments or telephones, which may be temporarily putin the circuit for use only while the picket-boat is at such station; but at the land station or stations or those above the water-level the telegraph instru- Serial No. 112,822. (No modelJ ment or telephone may be and preferably is connected permanently with the terminal or terminals of the line conductor and may be also provided with a switchboard, so as to adapt it for a central station for establishing communication with other individ ual sta tions in lieu of a permanent connection be-v tween the several stations of the system. The use of a] switchboard for 'controlling the connection with vthe several stations alsoapplies v vational view showing in full lines a submarine boat upon the surface of the water with the terminal of the adjacent submerged .station led up into rits dvers compartment or'chamber for connection with a telephone therein and showing in dotted lines such boat anchored beneath the surface of the water ang out of sight of passing surface vessels. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of a vess ol in communication with ashore station ot' the system. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a permanent anchor and an electric-cable junction-box suitable for use at a submerged station, showing a branch orterminal portion of the electriccable led through apertures in the anchor and bound to theanchor-cable for the supportand protection of the same from injury when attached-to a vessel at the station. respectively, of the end of .ft-branch or terminal portion of the cable andthe cap for sealing the same from the penetration of water when not in use. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional Figs. 4: and 4a are sectional elevations,

elevation of a modification of the anchor. r

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view showing a series of submerged stations in communication with a shore station and embodying the present invention, and Fig. 7 is a similar view showing in front elevation (partly broken away to expose the contained telephones) two submarine boats at distant stations in communication each with the other through an intermediate submerged station and a shore station.

The submarine boat ct illustrated in the drawings belongs to that type adapted to de scend to and travel upon the water-bed and' is provided with a bottom door Z; to the divers compartment c, containing a telephone d.

An end of the conductor-cable e, constituting the main line of communication, is led at each submerged station through a stuffingbox s into a junction-box f, sealed fromthe external W'ater and having binding-posts 7l, to which the ends of the component wires w ofthe cable are led and by means of which they are connected with the ends of the component wires v; of the flexible branch cable or terminal t', which is led outwardly from the junction-box through a second stuffing-box s and passes through apertures in the anchorj, to which it is bound at intervals by rings or straps 7s to the anchor-cable Z, the compound cable thus formed being lcd upwardly into the divers compartment c ofthe boat, where the ends of the wires U are connected to the telephone (l, while the anchor-cable Z is made fast to a cleat m or other suitable fastening device in the divers compartment or upon the exterior of the boat., the terminal portion t' of the conductor-cable and the anchor-cable being made of suitable length for connection with and for mooring the boat, respectively, even in case the latter should rise to or remain at the surface while establishing communication with a distant station with which the cable e is connected.

In order to protect the ends of the cable terminal wires c from the penetration of water, which would cause a short circuit with its attendant injury, the end of the insulating-covering of each terminal cable is proA vided with a stufiing-box comprising two threaded and interu'eshing centrally-perfo'- rated and recessed portions n and 0, the former having a reduced externally-threaded boss n at the end adjacent the bare extremiti'es of the conductor-wires c, to which is ap- `plied the removable cap p, the open end of which is formed with an internally-threaded socket to fit the reduced externally-threaded 1ooss 'n' of the stufIing-box section n and the. closed inner end of which cap is provided with an insulating-lining q to prevent any metallic contact between the cap and the inclosed ends of the conductor-Wires v.v To insure a water-tight joint between the stuffing box section n and the cap p, a washerr, preferablyy of `yielding waterproof material, such as india-i'ubber,is inserted between the end of the latter and an opposed shoulder upon the former, which serves eiectively as a packing to seal the joint.

In lieu of the preferred l'orm of junctionbox and independent anchor represented in Fig. 23, which is suitable/for an intermediate station in that the junction-hox may be readily litted to connect `adjacent sections of a main line of communication and branch and terminal cables, such members may be combined in a single anchor .7', having a closed Water-tight chamber with cover-plate] surrounding the splicez'y or any other form of joint between the end of the main cable e and terminal cable li, both led into the anchorchamber through a stuffing-box s, as shown in Fig. 5.

Each ot the submerged stations, as A B C, is located in a known position, which may be accurately determined by its angular relation with various stationaryv and permanent objects, preferably upon the shoresuch as buildings, trees, or rocks mafthe location of such stations being discoverable by merely determining the intersection of lines passing through the relative specified objects for the bearings of the given station, as indicated by the dotted lines y yin Figs. 2 and 6. As the bearings of the submerged and concealed stations at A, B, and C to the stationary or permanent objects by which their precise location is to be ascertained may also be determined with reference to the points of'tlie compass, as indicated by the dotted lines y in Figs. 2 and 6, it is'evident that such sta,- tions may be located accurately by the use of compasses upon vessels visiting such stations when only1 two of said stationary objects are charted from which tqdetermine the position ofeach of' said concealed stations.

The shore stations D are preferably provided each with apermanently-connected telephone or telegraph instrument and may have also a central-station switchboard u, as indicated in Fig. 7, to which individual cables from the several stations of the system may be lcd, intercommunication between such stations beingreadily established through the switchboard, if desired.

In the use of the system upon sighting an enemy the picket-boatfirst moves to the submerged signal-station nearest at hand, picks up the free end of the cable i and connects it with its telephoneortelegraph instrument,and

'establishes communication with the central station or that nearestthe enemy, (in case there should be one located nearer to the latters course of travel,) making known at such stationthe necessary intelligence of its own as well as the enemys movements or proposed movements and at the same time receiving such instructions as may be proper or.

necessary under the circumstances. Ifsuch picket-boat lbe of the surface type, the end of the cable-terminal t' may be readily secured by grappling; buta submarine picket-boat, Stich as that hereinbefore mentioned, will be IOO preferably submerged to the water-bed,where A it may rest after picking up the cablejand connecting the terminal Wires n with its tel-y ephone d during the transmission of messages to and from the distant statlon or stations, or such boat may be permitted to ride' above the water-bed and anchored4 by means of the weights e and their suspending-lines at a point near the surface, while still invisible from surface boats, as indicatedin dotted lines in Fig. 1, or may be permitted to rise to the surface, where it may be moored by the use ofthe wei'ghtss or by means ofthe anchorcable Z in full View of what may be transpiring upon' the surface, as circumstances may require. i

Although ,I consider it desirable to providealoose branch or terminal 'i in electrical connection with the line-.cable e for convenient connection with a suitable electrical instrument or apparatus carried by the picketboat tol be brought into communication with another station or stations of the system, it is evident that other means of connection between the boat and the line of communication could be readily used in lieu thereof for signaling and other purposes and that other mediums or means of communication than the electric current might be employed under certain conditions to establish communication throughout the system, for which reason it is to be understood that the presentinvention is wholly independent in its broadest aspect of the specific means employed for carrying it into eiect, the essential feature of the improvement being obviously the series of intercommunioating stations or' known and readily determinable location, one or more of which are submerged beneath the surface of the water, so as to be whollyinvisible to passing vessels, and provided with means fortheir operative connection with vessels furnished with charts or other data from vwhich to determine the location of said submerged station or stations.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the 'essential feature of the present invention is the submerged station located remotely from all ixed or permanent objects above the surface of the Water, so as to be entirely and effectively concealed from and to oder no means whatever of detection by occupants of passing vessels unprovided with charts disclosing its position, while the known relation' of the same to at least two laterally-distant ixed objects enables those having the necessaryinformation to accurately determine its position, such concealed submerged station being in communication with a distantstation or stations for the purposes before described. The present improvement therefore differs from other systems of submarine communicaticnin that its submerged stations are not only themselves hidden from the View of occupants of passing suriace vessels, but all their permanent connectionsei i tor-cables Z-are constructed ile normally beneath the suri, and therefore also equally concealec from View, no buoys or other connecied means ci locating them as heretolorev being prot Having (nu set forth the nature of the invention, what l claim herein isf-- l. A syn-,Lem ot submarine communication comprising a submerged station located remotely from all fined or permanent objects ariane o the water but in irc-own above il; t.

i the line-cable e, branch-A relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary objects by which its position may be determined, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface ot' the water, a second station located at a distance from the first-named station, and a connecting line of communication intermediate said stations and having the end at said first-named station constructed and adapted for temporary attachment to an instrument or device for establishing operative communication with an instrument or device connected with said line at the other station.

2. Asystem of submarine communication comprising a series of submerged offshore stations each located remotely from all fixed or permanent objects above the surface of.

the water but in known relation to at least two laterally-distantstationary objects by which its position may' be determined', all

vpermanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the Water, a shore station, and connecting electrical conductors intermediate said stations, the terminals of said conductors at the submerged stations having means for temporary connection with suitableinstruments or devices for establishing operative communication with like. instruments at other said .connected stations. i

3. In combination, a series of stations comprising one or more submerged stations each located remotely from all fixed or permanent objects above the surface of the Water but in known relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary' objects by which its position may be determined, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the water, electrical connections between the stations of said se- -ries, electrical instruments or devices at one or more of said stations, a similar electrical instrument or device carried by a submarine boat, and a connection from said last-named instrument or device to said electrical connection at one of said submerged stations.

el. In a system of submarine communication, a submerged station located remotely from all 'fixed or permanent objects above the surface of the Water but in known relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary objects bywhich its position may be determined, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the water, a connecting transmitting -line between said submerged station and a distant station or stations, and a flexible device attached at one end to said line at said `v submerged station and free at its other end and adapted for temporary attachment with a suitable instrument or device carried by a vessel visiting said submerged station.

5. In a system'of submarine communication, a submerged vst-ation located remotely from all fixed or permanent objects above the surface of the water but inv known relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary objects by which its, position may be determined, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden' beneath the surface of the Water, an electric line-cable leading to said submerged station from a distant station or y stations and securely anchored at the said submerged station, and a branch orl terminal cable having one end connected to said'anchored line-cable and its other end free and adapted for temporary connection with electrical apparatusupon a vessel atsaid submerged station.

6. In a system of submarine communica-z tion, a submerged station located remotely from all fixed or permanent objects abovethe. surface of the water but in known relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary ob from its core and adapted for temporary connection-with electrical apparatus upon a vessel visiting said submerged station.

7. In a system of submarine communica.-A

tion, a submerged station located remotely from all fixed or permanent objects above the surface of the water but inlknown relation to at least two laterally-distant stationary objects from which --its position may be determined, all permanent connections to saidsubmerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the water, said station having an anchorage to which is led an electric line-cable from a distant station or stations, .and a branch or terminal cable having at oneend a connection-with said line-cable extending from said anchorage vand the other end free andadapted to be picked up and connected temporarily with suitable apparatus carried by a vessel at said submerged station, and means for sealing the free end of said branch cable from penetration of Water when again disconnected from said apparatus.

8. In a system of submarine communication, a submerged station located remotely from all. fixed or permanent objects above the surface of the water but in known relation to at least twolaterally-'distant stationary objects from which its position may be determined, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the water, a line of electrical communica- 4tionbetween said station and a distant sta- .tion or stations terminating in a junction-box atsaid submerged station, a permanent anchor at" saidisubmerged station provided with -a-cable for mooring vessels,and a branch or terminalconnected at one end with said electrical line at said junction-box and extending to and beyond said anchor and having its free end portion secured to and supported by said anchor-cable andprovided with a removable lcap for sealing its extremity from the water.

9. A system of submarine communication comprising a submerged station accessible to but entirely hidden from occupants of boats cruising upon the surface of the water in its vicinity and located in readily-determinate position by means of its known bearings, all permanent connections to said submerged stations being constructed and adapted to lie normally hidden beneath the surface of the water, a second station located at a distance from the'rst-named-station, and a connect- .ing line of communication intermediate said stations and having the end at said first- ,named station constructed and adapted for -temporary attachment to an instrument `or device for establishing-operative communication with an instrument or device connected fwith said line at the other said station,

In testimony whereof. I have signed my -name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 19th day of SIMON LAKE.

June, 1902.

`Witnesses:

L. B. MILLER, H. J. MILLER. 

